Prior to dropping a season-high sixth consecutive game, the Los Angeles Dodgers lost Justin Turner in the bottom of the sixth because he was ejected by home plate umpire Chris Fairchild. Turner was called out on strikes, which elicited an immediate disagreement from the All-Star third baseman.
He returned to the dugout and was tossed prior to the seventh inning beginning. “I basically just told him how far outside it was. That was apparently enough to get thrown out in a 1-1 game,” a bewildered Turner said following the Dodgers’ loss.
“It’s frustrating when you know it’s bad when you’re up there. Then you go back and look at it, and when it’s that egregious, there’s not a whole lot you can do. It’s a helpless feeling.”
Replay of the pitch showed it was well off the outside corner that Fairchild seemingly believed it caught.
While Turner was adamant in his viewpoint of the exchange, he conceded the end result was unacceptable. “If I had to do it all over again, I probably wouldn’t give him the time of day,” Turner said.
“I can’t get thrown out in a 1-1 game. At the same time, I don’t think I did a whole lot to warrant an ejection.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts speculated Turner’s reaction was in part due to frustration. “Very unlike Justin,” Roberts said. “He’s a competitor, and disagreed with the call. He voiced his opinion, and Chad did the right thing.”
Logan Forsythe replaced Turner but never logged a plate appearance. He was pinch-hit for by Corey Seager, who represented the tying run at the plate with two outs in the bottom of the eighth. Seager grounded out to first base.
Roberts said Turner is receiving a planned night off in the series opener against the Colorado Rockies. The 32-year-old has appeared in 14 straight games, making 13 starts, in a stretch that dates back to Aug. 24.
